Free Agency Thread

[Neeva]

Markannen will be an instant bad contract after he signs it. The next Davis Bertans.

[wolves_89]

Read on Twitter

I've thought for a while that Markkanen was the most likely outcome for adding a starting caliber big this off-season. Collins is unlikely to move, Simmons will be too expensive in terms of assets, and I doubt the Wolves go the Turner route. Markkanen is basically a better version of Hernangomez who the coaching staff seemed to like. The path to acquiring Markkanen in a sign-and-trade is pretty straight forward as well since the Bulls really need a PG and Rubio would be a good fit.

My hope would be that Markkanen could excel in a clearly defined role and his shooting would open the lane for Edwards and KAT. Markkanen isn't really the guy I'd want, but he may be the best player the Wolves could acquire without giving up any of Russell, Beasley, Edwards, McDaniels, or Towns.

[wolves_89]

Britt on Dane’s podcast likes Theis. Also mentions Zach Collins as a riskier, cheaper version of Miles Turner.

I don’t know enough about Collins. Thoughts?

I believe Collins just had his third ankle operation in under a year and is out indefinitely (after playing 11 games in 2019-20 and zero games in 2020-21).

Entering restricted free agency, might make him a buy-low candidate.

I'm more interested in Zach Collins now that the Blazers are declining his qualifying offer (which likely means he signs a low dollar prove it type of contract). If he could be signed for a fairly small 2-3 year deal he could be a steal later in the season or the following year.

[shangrila]

Agree. Love Naz, but if he has value around the league then it might be time to cash out. At some point, perhaps as early as the start of next season, he's going to earn himself a larger role that we won't be able to give him so long as Kat stays healthy.

How expensive are we expecting him to be?

If him playing the 4 is in the cards long term I'd be willing to pay him 10mil per, especially if he continues improving.

I think $10-12 million per is the low end of his range.

So you're expecting Dieng type money?

I'm not sure I see that. I like Naz but I don't think he's a starter and that's what teams would be paying 16-18mil for.

[SO_MONEY]

How expensive are we expecting him to be?

If him playing the 4 is in the cards long term I'd be willing to pay him 10mil per, especially if he continues improving.

I think $10-12 million per is the low end of his range.

So you're expecting Dieng type money?

I'm not sure I see that. I like Naz but I don't think he's a starter and that's what teams would be paying 16-18mil for.

I think he is a starter for many teams. Someone said he is about a top 20 center, I can't say I disagree with that.

[shangrila]

I think $10-12 million per is the low end of his range.

So you're expecting Dieng type money?

I'm not sure I see that. I like Naz but I don't think he's a starter and that's what teams would be paying 16-18mil for.

I think he is a starter for many teams. Someone said he is about a top 20 center, I can't say I disagree with that.

Top 20? That seems like a stretch.

[Klomp]

How expensive are we expecting him to be?

If him playing the 4 is in the cards long term I'd be willing to pay him 10mil per, especially if he continues improving.

I think $10-12 million per is the low end of his range.

So you're expecting Dieng type money?

I'm not sure I see that. I like Naz but I don't think he's a starter and that's what teams would be paying 16-18mil for.

When Gorgui started his extension, he was 27. Naz will be starting his second contract at 22/23. That's a big difference because you're a lot of times paying for potential in these deals, like it or not.

[wolves_89]

So you're expecting Dieng type money?

I'm not sure I see that. I like Naz but I don't think he's a starter and that's what teams would be paying 16-18mil for.

I think he is a starter for many teams. Someone said he is about a top 20 center, I can't say I disagree with that.

Top 20? That seems like a stretch.

I don't think Naz is a top 20 center right now, but given his growth curve I think he has a pretty good chance of breaking into that group within the next couple of years.

[Neeva]

So you're expecting Dieng type money?

I'm not sure I see that. I like Naz but I don't think he's a starter and that's what teams would be paying 16-18mil for.

I think he is a starter for many teams. Someone said he is about a top 20 center, I can't say I disagree with that.

Top 20? That seems like a stretch.

Offensively he probably is, defense not even close.

[LibertyPrime]

Read on Twitter

Mild interest if not too expensive.

Me too, although he's not exactly the smash-mouth enforcer I've been dreaming of. If nothing else, he'll fit with the original vision of having 5 guys on the floor who can score from anywhere, as he shot 40% from 3 last year. But I worry a lot about a 7 footer who averages a block every three games. He seems to have been trending downwards the last couple of years as well; I got the impression he was Boylen's whipping boy in Chicago. Maybe moving here and being surrounded by hordes of fellow Scandinavians will help.

[SO_MONEY]

I think he is a starter for many teams. Someone said he is about a top 20 center, I can't say I disagree with that.

Top 20? That seems like a stretch.

Offensively he probably is, defense not even close.

I would say top 20 for his overall package is a fair assessment. When you get to that range, a starter for a third of teams, you are getting into more subjective determinations, i.e. several players are in this range. The difference with Reid is he is just 21 compared to many in this category, so as far as trade value, it is higher than some as he would be viewed as a long-term solution who could outperform his current standing in the near future. He without a doubt has a good amount of trade value on the market.

[jpatrick]

I believe Collins just had his third ankle operation in under a year and is out indefinitely (after playing 11 games in 2019-20 and zero games in 2020-21).

Entering restricted free agency, might make him a buy-low candidate.

I'm more interested in Zach Collins now that the Blazers are declining his qualifying offer (which likely means he signs a low dollar prove it type of contract). If he could be signed for a fairly small 2-3 year deal he could be a steal later in the season or the following year.

I’d be okay with this as long as it is near minimum with team options after this year. Collins will essentially not have played basketball in three years when he comes back, if he’s able to come back. Some guys just aren’t the same after so many injuries.

I think Markkanen is going to get more than we’d want to pay and doesn’t address our toughness/defensive issues. But if all else fails, he’s definitely an upgrade over our current PF options.

[Dewey]

Read on Twitter

Mild interest if not too expensive.

Me too, although he's not exactly the smash-mouth enforcer I've been dreaming of. If nothing else, he'll fit with the original vision of having 5 guys on the floor who can score from anywhere, as he shot 40% from 3 last year. But I worry a lot about a 7 footer who averages a block every three games. He seems to have been trending downwards the last couple of years as well; I got the impression he was Boylen's whipping boy in Chicago. Maybe moving here and being surrounded by hordes of fellow Scandinavians will help.

Very hesitant on another big who can’t defend

[karch34]

Markkanen seems like a player that could be very nice piece in the right lineup. I don’t feel that’s us though.

[minimus]

Markkanen seems like a player that could be very nice piece in the right lineup. I don’t feel that’s us though.

Depends on price.

[shrink]

I think he is a starter for many teams. Someone said he is about a top 20 center, I can't say I disagree with that.

Top 20? That seems like a stretch.

Offensively he probably is, defense not even close.

I looked at rosters, and Naz probably a starter for around 8 teams. I think that puts him around 20, although most posters from other teams here don’t know enough about him to agree.

I listened to something earlier this week that listed about only ten stretch-5’s in the league. They have value. I agree that Naz has a ways to go defensively, but he has come a long way from where he started. Reports are that he is extremely coachable. And while most of the players they listed as stretch-5’s were thin, Naz is 265. He was 15th this year in blocks.

The other notable feature about Naz is his contract. He will be starting his third year on that beautiful vet MIn deal. For those that aren’t aware, CBA rules state team a team needs to offer him a new deal to replace his fourth year to keep him as an RFA. If they refuse, they have him for a fourth year at the minimum (it’s the contract they signed), but the player becomes a UFA. If you force a decent guy to get underpaid an extra year, he’s not coming back.

Odds are that he will be extended by us, or any team that trades for him. However, I suspect even that number won’t be much. The top 5 centers may be worth max deals, the next five would get healthy pay checks too, but then the talent drops off quickly. In today’s NBA, the traditional big centers are starting to get played off the floor with quicker line ups, particularly in the playoffs. Many teams are investing less resources in the position. The talent pool is deep as well, as older centers can hang around cheap if they are playing less minutes because any center is getting less minutes. I suspect Naz Reid gets a three year deal starting around $5-6. He may grow to be worth more.

Finally, I peg his trade value as a late first. The truth is, being able to pick up a cheap starter has more value than a crapshoot with a pick in this area, where you might hope for a bench rotation player. I don’t follow the draft closely, but I have heard there are not many great center prospects this year, and Naz may be a better choice. He’s still young and cheap, and a playoff team later in the draft knows he can play against NBA competition.

[Klomp]

Odds are that he will be extended by us, or any team that trades for him. However, I suspect even that number won’t be much. The top 5 centers may be worth max deals, the next five would get healthy pay checks too, but then the talent drops off quickly. In today’s NBA, the traditional big centers are starting to get played off the floor with quicker line ups, particularly in the playoffs. Many teams are investing less resources in the position. The talent pool is deep as well, as older centers can hang around cheap if they are playing less minutes because any center is getting less minutes. I suspect Naz Reid gets a three year deal starting around $5-6. He may grow to be worth more.

Finally, I peg his trade value as a late first. The truth is, being able to pick up a cheap starter has more value than a crapshoot with a pick in this area, where you might hope for a bench rotation player. I don’t follow the draft closely, but I have heard there are not many great center prospects this year, and Naz may be a better choice. He’s still young and cheap, and a playoff team later in the draft knows he can play against NBA competition.

If that's all he nets, then by all means we should keep him. That talent at that price is a steal of a bargain. I suspect he'll get double that though.

[shrink]

He would always be limited in his role here, primarily as a back up.

A $5 mil Naz has value - just more value to other teams than us, which makes him a viable trade candidate.

[Klomp]

He would always be limited in his role here, primarily as a back up.

A $5 mil Naz has value - just more value to other teams than us, which makes him a viable trade candidate.

$5 million is just my cap on a Towns backup, no matter who it is. At some point Reid will certainly be a trade candidate, but it may not be yet if that's all he would get on his next contract. If he doesn't get more than that on the market, maybe teams don't see him at the same level as we do. At an affordable price, he also presents as Towns insurance should a worst-case scenario happen and the two sides part ways.

[MN7725]

How expensive are we expecting him to be?

If him playing the 4 is in the cards long term I'd be willing to pay him 10mil per, especially if he continues improving.

I think $10-12 million per is the low end of his range.

So you're expecting Dieng type money?

I'm not sure I see that. I like Naz but I don't think he's a starter and that's what teams would be paying 16-18mil for.

plus there are teams that simply do not believe putting much salary into the C position

I'm not sure in the last three offseason's if a C that changed teams got over like $9 mil/year, MLE money